


Island Getaway

by ToTheStarsWriting



Series: dragon!Alec [11]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Alec loves flying, Domestic Fluff, Dragon Alec Lightwood, Fluff, Flying, Islands, Lazy Alec, M/M, Magnus owns an island, Swimming, Vacation, almsot as much as he loves Magnus, for a day, having a good day, just happy boys, no real plot, sweet boyfriends
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-30
Updated: 2020-06-30
Packaged: 2021-03-04 22:59:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,993
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25004278
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ToTheStarsWriting/pseuds/ToTheStarsWriting
Summary: Magnus decides that they've had enough stress lately. For the next twenty-four hours, he and Alec are taking a break. With that in mind he gathers his lover and spirits him away to a private island out in the middle of nowhere for some fun, relaxation, and freedom.
Relationships: Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood
Series: dragon!Alec [11]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1369069
Comments: 22
Kudos: 490





	Island Getaway

This had to be the best idea Magnus had ever had.

He felt quite proud of himself as he lay back on his chair on the beach and let the warmth of the sun soak into his skin. A soft breeze blew across his skin, soothing down the heat to a bearable level. It was perfect weather to sit out in nothing at all and just enjoy the peace and quiet. On this little island out in the middle of nowhere, there was no chance of just anyone showing up. Not even his closest friends could portal here without Magnus granting permission through the wards for them to do so.

This was where Magnus ran when the world got to be too much, and he needed to take a break for a while. All warlocks had a place like this. Somewhere they could retreat from the world when they needed to. Somewhere they could be free to let go when feeling a bit out of control without the risk of their magic harming anyone accidentally, while also being warded enough that they could hide out when their magic was depleted, leaving them vulnerable.

Of course, not every warlock was like Magnus. Not only did he have slightly more _expensive_ tastes, but he also had quite a bit higher of a power level, and if he wanted somewhere safe to go without the risk of hurting anyone if he lost control, he had to pick somewhere far, far away.

What better place than an island out in the middle of nowhere?

It was the perfect getaway. The island wasn't large, but nor was it tiny. There were a few animals here, and more besides that Magnus could snap some up if he wanted. Beautiful white sandy beaches, gorgeous blue water as far as the eye could see, a wonderful cabin right where sand switched to grass, and no one around to see him.

 _And Ragnor laughed at me when I bought this place_. Magnus snorted to himself. This was the single greatest decision he'd ever made. Not just for himself – and his need to get away from the world now and again – but for so many other good reasons. The largest of which – quite literally – was the beautiful, shining dragon currently sweeping through the sky, briefly casting a shadow over him.

That beautiful sight was the main reason that Magnus had come here. He just regretted how long it'd taken him to think of it.

Though, they wouldn’t really have had the time to come out here before. With everything going on at the Institute and in the Shadow World, and Valentine still at large, it wasn't exactly the time for a vacation. But things seemed to be in a sort of lull at the moment, and Isabelle had assured Magnus that they could handle the Institute for a full twenty-four hours. More than that, _Lydia_ had assured him, and at the moment, Magnus trusted her word on the running of the Institute more than anyone else. So, with their blessing, he planned Alec's day off and took him directly to the island the minute he'd gotten off work.

Their first night had been spent quite happily together inside the cabin. And when they woke up this morning, they'd enjoyed their cabin a little more before Magnus dragged Alec outside and introduced him to the wonders of a beach vacation.

They had twenty-four hours, and he was going to absolutely make the best of it. It wasn't anywhere near the amount of time Magnus wanted to take his lover away for, but he'd settle for what he could get.

Any amount of time away was worth it when he got to watch Alec realize that, yes, they were perfectly shielded here for miles and miles. No one would be able to track him here, no one would be able to _see_ him here, which meant that his darling dragon could let go in ways he wouldn’t dare to anywhere else except his hoard.

Magnus had gotten so used to seeing the smaller version of his love, it was stunning to watch Alec transform into his true size and take to the skies.

Alexander was _massive_.

He was also _beautiful_.

The bright sunlight shone on Alec's scales, making them impossibly seem both darker and lighter. The blues and purples that didn't always show through were reflecting the light like Alec was coated in precious stones. Magnus could've laid there and watched him for the entire day.

Of course, Alec had other ideas. Magnus let out a laugh as he watched Alec suddenly tuck his wings in and dive for the water. For such a massive size as he had, he went into the water smoothly, cutting through it with the same ease he cut through the air.

He emerged again a ways off to Magnus' right. Only, he didn't come fully up out of the water. Instead, he extended his wings and let them drape out to either side of him on top of the water, and he rolled onto his back for a moment, tail swishing lazily through the water.

“Enjoying the sunshine, darling?” Magnus called out. He didn't bother raising his voice too much - Alec had exceptional hearing, especially like this.

HIs darling rolled over so that he was floating on his stomach and he could turn his head enough that one large purple-blue eye was watching Magnus. The build of his brow made it look like he was scowling, yet there was a softness around the edges of it. A look that Magnus fondly thought of as _his_. It was the same in dragon and human form. Alec could scowl all he wanted, he was still adorable.

“It's beautiful out here,” Alec said, his voice a pleasant rumble that ran over Magnus like silk. “You should come out in the water with me.”

“I'm quite content here on land for now, thank you. Water and I aren't always the best of friends.”

Alec hummed but didn't comment further on that. It was one of the things that Magnus truly loved about him. While Alec could be curious, asking question after question with the slightest sign of encouragement, he didn’t press if he didn’t think it was welcome, and he didn’t question some of the odder quirks that Magnus’ past friends and lovers had jumped all over. Magnus wasn’t sure if it was just a trait of Alec, a characteristic of being a dragon, or his naiveite toward relationships of, well, of most kinds. Whatever it was, Magnus loved him all the more for it in moments like this.

Of course, Alec also seemed to take that to mean that he needed to come back up on land, which Magnus hadn't intended.

With another breath, Alec dove underwater, only to rise up again in his human form much closer to the shore. The move had Magnus grinning up at him. “Show off.”

Alec's lips quirked up into a smirk at the same time that he shrugged one shoulder. “You like it.”

“Yes, well, they say like recognizes like, darling.”

That drew a soft laugh out of Alec. The young dragon walked toward him from the water, all his bare skin and runes on display, though not a hint of scales. Alec was utterly shameless as he made his way toward where Magnus was lying. Without anyone around to see, and with the last barrier between them broken down after that first glorious night together, it seemed that Alec felt no reason whatsoever to be shy. A fact which Magnus gloried in. He adored the comfortable way Alec moved around in his skin. He even preened a little when Magnus let his gaze sweep over all that wet, beautiful skin.

Then Alec was right there next to him, and Magnus had only a second to realize what Alec was doing, laughing out loud even as Alec climbed right onto the lounge chair with him and stretched his whole body out overtop of Magnus. “Alexander!” The word came out breathy with laughter. Yet any protest was lost when Magnus wrapped his arms around Alec to better tug him in close. The two wiggled around, getting comfortable with one another in what was becoming one of their go-to cuddle positions. Dragon or human form, Alec loved to snuggle up with his head on Magnus' chest. Even when he was sopping wet, it would seem.

“You're warm,” Alec murmured, nuzzling against Magnus' chest and letting out one of his low, happy rumbles.

Magnus rolled his eyes, yet he also brought a hand up to stroke through Alec's hair. “That tends to happen when you lay around in the sun. I'm going to end up with the strangest tan lines if you stay where you are.”

“Like you don't already have a spell going for that.”

He wasn't wrong. Magnus wasn't going to risk getting burned or unevenly tanned. instead of giving in, he tugged on a bit of Alec’s hair, amused when it made his happy-rumble a bit deeper. “Don't be a brat. You do realize I'm not a sunning rock, though, right? Though I can conjure one for you if you'd like.”

“Mm-mm.” Alec murmured. One of his legs slid down between Magnus', the other going off to the side a bit, and his arms were tucked up against Magnus' sides. He was clearly settling in for the long haul, the little brat.

Not that Magnus actually minded. A wet, naked Alec pressed against him out in the warm sun? Quite a few fantasies had started this way.

One of Alec's fingers poked into Magnus' side. It jolted him out of his thoughts and drew a startled squeak out of him that he would deny ever making. “What was that for?” he demanded, scowling down at Alec's head.

“I know what you were thinking. And the answer is no.”

“How do you...”

“You were happy-humming,” Alec interrupted, his smirk easy to hear in his voice even if he didn’t lift his head to show it. Then his leg drew up a little and nudged between Magnus’, where a certain part of him had started to wake up a bit. “Not to mention a few other... twitches.”

Ah, yes. Well. That _would_ give him away, wouldn't it? “Can you blame me, Alexander? A wet, naked, beautiful man drapes himself over top of me, there are a few places the mind naturally goes.”

“Later,” Alec mumbled. He tightened his arms again and snuggled in impossibly closer. “For now, 'm cuddling.”

Magnus could feel himself gentle at those adorably mumbled words. “Of course, my love.”

For a long while, the two just lay there together in the quiet. Magnus let his hands toy with Alec's slowly drying hair while his body relaxed. It was a wonderful feeling to lie there without the stress and worries of their lives pushing down on them. There wasn't anyone around to come and bug them. No one knocking on the door, calling their phones, demanding their attention over and over again for countless things. Unless a real emergency popped up, it was going to be just Magnus and Alec and no one else.

They'd come such a long way from the quiet earnestness of their early days. Small dates here and there, stolen moments, quiet nights at the loft.

Now the whole world knew about them, it seemed. Magnus wasn't some dirty little secret that Alec was keeping. They were out and proud in both of their communities. The fact that he could claim Alec as his and that Alec so publicly and fiercely claimed Magnus as his in return, was the most beautiful feeling Magnus had ever had. No one had done that for him before. No one had loved him with the ferocity and care that Alec did. Magnus didn't know if he could picture his life without him. Nor did he want to. Alec was _his_. There was no way Magnus was going to give him up for anything. Definitely not for Valentine and this war.

Though Magnus had promised them both this was going to be a short vacation, he couldn't help the direction his thoughts went in.

Only, he was broken out of them once more when Alec poked him – _again_.

He didn’t even have to ask why this time. Alec was already shifting his head to glare up at him through a mop of half-dry, messy hair. “Now you’re worry-humming. Quit it.”

“I wasn’t humming,” Magnus protested. He didn’t bother trying to deny that he’d been worrying.

Alec rolled his eyes and dropped his head back down so that his ear was pressed once more against Magnus’ chest. When he spoke, his voice had taken on a slight accent Magnus noticed poked through now and again when Alec was tired. A bit of a New York touch to his words. “Y’were. Y’magic gets all, hummy.” One of Alec's hands came up and wiggled a little as if to demonstrate whatever it was Alec was hearing or feeling. Then he laid it back down and squeezed Magnus in a full-body hug. “No stress today, ‘member?”

He was right. Magnus had insisted that today was going to be a stress-free day. He just hadn’t anticipated that _he’d_ be the one in need of a reminder. “You’re right. My apologies, _sayang_.”

Alec let out a hum of his own, and that seemed to be all he had to say on the subject. His body relaxed once more until he was lying entirely on Magnus like the best weighted blanket. The solid feel of him, the warmth of the sun, the calmness of the waves, all of it worked to soothe Magnus back down until he felt himself drifting off to sleep.

* * *

The two of them woke up energized and eager to move around just a few hours later. The rest had done them both good. They both finally felt like they were starting to recharge from the constant business they’d been living under lately.

However, they apparently had two different ideas about what to do with their afternoon. Magnus had suggested exploring the island a little, only for Alec to shake his head and bite the inside of his lip in that way of his when he wanted to say something and was fighting to hold it in.

Magnus met his gaze and tilted his head, studying Alec's face. There was something he was resisting saying. Which was the last thing Magnus wanted for their trip. “Is there something you’d like to do instead? You know all you have to do is ask, Alexander.”

“I don’t want you to do something you don’t want to just because you think it’ll make me happy.”

A wide smile lit up Magnus’ face. He took a step forward and caught hold of Alec's hand. Alec immediately turned his hand so that he could hook their fingers together into a loose, comfortable hold. Using that light grip, Magnus drew his hand up, twisting them both a little so that he could press a kiss against Alec's knuckles. “ _Sayang_ , I promise you, I am more than comfortable telling you if I don’t want to do something. Just as I hope you’re comfortable telling _me_ the same.”

Alec's expression softened. “I am.”

“Good. Now, what would you like to do?”

After only a brief hesitation, in which Magnus could see Alec drawing in a breath and straightening himself up a little, he blurted out, “Have you ever thought about flying?”

 _Oh_. That wasn’t what Magnus had expected at all. Unconsciously he dropped his eyes down over Alec's body even though he was still in his human form at the moment. “I won’t say I haven’t thought about it before,” Magnus finally answered, eyes back on Alec's face. “Are you offering?”

This time Alec didn’t hesitate to answer. “Of course I am. I'd love to take you up into the sky with me.”

A soft look stole across Magnus' features. He knew he likely looked so impossibly fond, and judging by the way that Alec sniffed a little, his emotions had changed his scent. It only made Magnus smile more. “It sounds wonderful, darling. But do you think it would work? Riding high on your neck would leave me with a slippery seat, so to speak, and lower would give me nowhere to really hold on to.”

Without spines or spikes along Alec’s neck and back, there wouldn't really be anything for Magnus to hold on to. And riding high up by his horns, which would work wonderfully as handles, would require a type of seat that likely wouldn't be all that comfortable for Alec to wear.

Magnus had never really given it a thought beyond that. But it would seem that Alec _had_.

“I think I might’ve figured out a way around that,” Alec said eagerly. He let go of Magnus’ hand and took a step back, his magic already starting to gather around him. He paused, looking toward Magnus, only to get a smile in return. That must’ve been enough. Alec stepped even further back, and Magnus got to watch as Alec's body made the shift from one form to the next. In seconds a massive dragon was standing where the man had been only moments ago.

The magic that Alec had gathered before gave a little tingle in the air between them. Magnus looked down to find that Alec had summoned something that looked like… was that a saddle?

Alec really _had_ been thinking about this!

Taking a step forward, Magnus moved into a squat by the item that was most definitely a saddle. One that was made of a rather sturdy-feeling leather that he could feel had quite a few spells put into it. Likely some meant to preserve the material so it wouldn’t shred on Alec's scales. Maybe some others for protection.

Magnus looked up, smiling broadly. “Did you make this yourself?”

“Not by hand or anything like that.” Alec's voice was a bit amused, and was that a hint of nerves at the edges?

Even if he’d just used magic to make the saddle, it was still a pretty talented piece of work. Magnus let his hands run over the seat and all the straps and buckles. Serviceable, practical, which suited Alec, though Magnus could already see where some detailing would give it an extra touch of something beautiful. “It looks very well done,” he complimented. “And the spell work protecting it is wonderful.”

Alec couldn’t help but preen a little. “Thanks.”

“Is it comfortable for you?”

Shrugging, Alec shifted his weight around so that he was lying on his stomach instead of just looming over Magnus. He settled easily into the sand, and Magnus made a mental note to make sure his scales were properly cleaned out when they were done. “As best as I could tell. I can't exactly strap it on myself, and I wasn't about to take anyone else up on my back.”

That had Magnus shifting to look up at him with surprise. “You haven't taken your siblings?”

Again, Alec shrugged. “They never asked.”

Magnus honestly hadn’t expected that. He couldn’t imagine that neither Isabelle nor Jace wanted to go for a ride. Perhaps they were just too kind to ask him. They seemed extremely considerate toward this part of their brother most of the time, though they didn’t seem to have as much understanding as Magnus did.

However, he didn't let his surprise stop him for long. He looked down at the saddle and then back up at Alec, his eyes narrowed a little in thought. After a moment of debate, Magnus looked back up at Alec's eyes again. “I can help you get it on if you'd like. We can test it out together.”

“That's exactly what I was hoping for,” Alec answered.

Getting the saddle onto Alec took a little bit of work on both their parts. Magnus used his magic to lift it and get it up on Alec's back, and then to draw the straps around him as best he could, adjusting and readjusting until they were in the right spot. If Magnus hadn’t had his magic, it would’ve been a whole hell of a lot harder. Considering Magnus could stand under Alec's stomach with his hair just inches away from brushing against him, there was no way he was going to be able to reach all the way up and around Alec's body. So he stood and directed his magic to do it for him.

It took a try or two to get it in a spot that felt comfortable. After that came the straps.

Alec had clearly taken the time to figure this out right. Lost of saddles were held in place by one big belly strap, but that wouldn’t work on a dragon’s body. Magnus wasn’t going to be riding in the middle of his back – and even if he was, it would’ve been too easy with the shape of him to go sliding. Instead, the saddle sat in front of his wing joints, towards the base of his neck.

That meant that the straps had to be a bit creative to work. Instead of one belly strap, it had a strap that came down over Alec’s chest, one that ran between his front legs, and another that ran over his stomach. It was almost like a vest pulled on backward and attached to the saddle.

Magnus got it on easily enough and then paused for a moment with the straps still loose. When Alec looked back at him, the warlock had one hand on his hip and the other on his chin, trying to figure out his next move. Only one seemed logical. “Hmm. Would you mind giving me a boost up, darling?”

Instead of answering, Alec just extended his wing down to the ground like a ramp. At the cautious look it got him, Alec snorted and gave a sharp grin, full of teeth. “Trust me, Mags. I’ll barely feel you.”

It was his body. He would know better than Magnus. Still, Magnus snapped himself up a decent pair of shoes to go with the comfortable yet formfitting clothes that would cover and protect him up in the sky. His shoes were flat, no heels, so there was no chance of hurting Alec with them, and nothing on his clothes to catch and flutter in the wind. Something told him they’d be going pretty fast.

Once his clothes were changed, he stepped onto Alec's wing, looking up again to make sure he was okay. Only when he saw Alec still smiling did he keep going.

Magnus ran smoothly and lightly up the bone of Alec's wing until he was right up at the saddle. Grabbing hold, he braced on both it and Alec's wing so that he could bend down and place his hand along the strap. He kept it there as he used magic to tug at it down by the buckle. Having his hand there allowed Magnus to feel how things settled and make sure that it wasn’t too tight. As he did, he explained to Alec what he was doing. “I didn’t want to accidentally end up making them too tight or too loose. This is something that needs to be done by hand.”

“Not your first time in the saddle, I take it?” Alec asked.

Magnus looked up to find Alec watching him. He gave his partner a grin and a wink. “Oh, I’ve been on many a _ride_ in my time.”

Alec made a show of rolling his eyes.

Laughing, Magnus moved on to the next strap. “Yes, my dear. I’ve owned a few horses in the past. While you are far grander than they could _ever_ hope to be, the theory of the straps and such is the same.”

It only took a few moments for Magnus to get everything done to his liking. He tested the straps himself and checked with Alec to make sure they were comfortable. Only when Alec had moved around a little and proclaimed them fine did Magnus finally settle down into the seat itself.

The saddle itself had a high front and back. Enough to guarantee Magnus’ comfort as well as offer him something to hold on to.

“This is a comfortable seat, though I’m not sure how it’d hold up to longer travels,” Magnus said, shifting around a little. “I might adjust it a little once I see what kind of handholds I’m going to need.”

“That’s fine. I figured you’d want to change some things once you had a chance to ride,” Alec said. Then he quickly added on, “If you like it, that is. Which you’re not required to do. You uh, you don’t have to do this again if it’s something you end up not liking.”

It was clear just how much Alec _wanted_ him to like it, and with the possibility right there in front of him, Magnus found that he wanted it, too. More than he’d realized.

With a quick spell over himself to protect from things like bugs and one last adjustment to his seat, Magnus grinned. “Well, we’ll never know until we try.”

That seemed to be the words Alec needed to hear. He gave Magnus one last grin and then turned around to face the ocean. Feeling him shift around underneath the saddle was a strange experience. Magnus hadn’t been lying when he said he’d owned and ridden horses in the past. He’d also ridden some animals that most people likely wouldn’t ever think of riding.

None of it compared to the shift of muscle under him – the _power_.

Alec's wings stretched out on either side of him, so much more massive from this seat. “Hold on tight,” Alec warned him.

Magnus leaned forward, hands on the seat and knees pressing in, and felt a thrill run through him. He was going to fly. Out here in the open air with the man he loved, he was going to actually _fly_.

The saddle shifted with the first flap of Alec's wings. A quick shift and a tug on the straps readjusted the saddle in time for the second flap, where it stayed in place much better. Then they were rising, up, up, _up_ , and Magnus let out a breathless laugh as Alec took him up into the skies. Straight up into the clouds that Magnus had barely seen, so far up the island shrank down so small below them.

Laughter echoed on the breeze. His, Alec's, both of theirs – it didn’t matter. Magnus felt it echo through him, body and magic both. Magnus let it spread through him, throwing his head back as his and Alec's magic twined together and shared their joy with one another.

“Grab on!” Alec warned him suddenly. Then, with no more warning than that, he gave another mighty flap of his wings and tilted his body forward, long neck stretching out as he took advantage of their height and threw them forward into a dive.

A wild laugh tore from Magnus. He was grateful he’d put protection over himself, or he would’ve risked swallowing down bugs. As it was, he was free to laugh and cry out to his heart’s content as Alec sent them hurtling toward the sea, pulling up at the last minute to swirl them up and over into a loop before they were back down at the water, close enough that Alec risked dragging his feet in it.

It was the most amazing, exhilarating thing Magnus had ever done. When Alec banked left, his wing dipping down to cut a strip through the water, Magnus laughed again. He held on to the saddle with one hand and laid his other hand on Alec's neck. “Take us back up, Alexander. Show me your skies.”

The roar Alec let out would’ve echoed for miles around, if anyone had been close enough to hear them.

* * *

The two of them flew for who-knew-how-long. Alec seemed more than happy to show Magnus that glimpse of his world. To take him through what was clearly one of the things Alec gained the most pleasure from. Having experienced it himself now, Magnus could see why Alec spoke so reverently about it.

By the time they landed back on the ground, both of them were exhilarated. Alec was practically glowing, and his magic was rumbling happily against Magnus’.

There was a brief moment of wobbliness when Magnus moved to slide out of the saddle. He didn’t let that stop him from speaking, though. “Alexander, that was _amazing_! How do you ever do anything _but_ fly after experiencing that?” Magnus demanded. He tried to move forward to the wing that Alec extended for him, only to wobble a little as soon as he was on his feet.

A little tendril of Alec's magic curled itself around Magnus’ waist. Magnus relaxed into it, trusting it to lift him up and lower him gently to the ground. “Careful,” Alec admonished him. “WE were up there longer than I’d planned.”

“It’s nothing.” Magnus waved a hand to dismiss it. He’d been in the saddle plenty of times before, and he remembered what it could make a body feel like. Not only did he have spells for that if it got bad enough, he knew how to stretch himself out just right to ease some of the aches. A little bit of lazing in the remaining sunlight would help, too. “Just a little saddle-sore, that’s all – it’s been a while since I’ve ridden. It was worth it, though. That was _wonderful_. You’re a magnificent flyer!”

“So, that’s something you’d want to try again?” Alec asked. He moved forward, using his wing to help nudge Magnus along with him until the two of them were at the edge of where the sand met the grass.

Magnus went easily under Alec's direction, not minding that he was being herded forward. He knew what kind of worrywart Alec could sometimes be. If it eased him to fuss over Magnus for a bit, it was no big deal to let it happen.

The two picked a spot where Alec could lay in the grass and get some sun, and Magnus was free to settle down with him right up against Alec's stomach. As he got comfortable, he hurried to reassure Alec at the same time. “Of course I want to go again! You’re going to be hard-pressed to leave me behind any time you go off flying now, darling. I’ve never felt anything quite like that before.”

A couple blankets from the cabin appeared around Magnus. He grinned and tugged them in to make himself a cozy little nest against Alec's stomach. They made it easier and more comfortable for him to twist himself, side mostly pressed against Alec's scales while his back rested on the leg behind him. It meant Magnus was free to look at Alec's face when his love lowered his head down and curved his neck so that he was able to look in at Magnus.

Those beautiful eyes watched as Magnus settled in. “Would it be easier if I shifted back?” Alec asked suddenly.

“I want you to be whatever form you want to be here, darling,” Magnus reassured him, patting at Alec's stomach. “Not what you think you should be or what you think I want. Trust me, I am more than happy to spend time with you in whatever way I can.”

The corner of Alec's mouth curled up into a small, toothy smile. “Thank you.” His voice was so much deeper in this form; a rumble with a startingly silky edge to it. “It’s been a while since I’ve been able to be like this.”

“You’re welcome, darling. I’m always happy to see you in whatever form makes you happiest.”

There was a rustle of something behind Magnus. A shrug, he was pretty sure, judging by the shift of wing he caught out of the corner of his eye. “My body might need to shift to stay happy, but it doesn’t really care if that’s the large or small version of me. Just that I let out the dragon. This form isn’t _necessary_ …”

“…but it’s _you_ ,” Magnus finished for him. “You might not need to be large when you shift, but this is the truest form of _you_.”

“It’s also the form of me that’s hardest to hide. Usually, I just go to my hoard and let this out there.”

But lately, Alec hadn’t been making time to go anywhere else. In the past few weeks he’d been so absurdly busy. Only recently had everything begun to settle down. Hence the reason behind the timing of this trip. Magnus considered the whole thing absolutely worth it to see that look on Alec's face. To watch him truly _relax_.

Alec let his head roll just a bit to the side, curving in enough that Magnus could feel Alec's breath against his bare feet – he’d banished his shoes when he sat down. “You know, I’d… I’d like to take you out there sometime, maybe. If you’d like, I mean.”

“Where?” Magnus furrowed his brow in thought for a moment before realization hit, and his expression cleared. _Oh_! “Your hoard?”

He hadn’t known it was possible for a dragon to look _shy_. Yet that was precisely what Alec looked like at that moment. Shy, a bit nervous, and excited, all at the same time. “Last time you were there, you didn’t really get to see anything. I uh, I wanted to show you around.”

There was a hint of heat to Alec's voice that made it clear he wanted to do more than just show Magnus around. The way he sounded, the way he looked, Magnus had no doubt what Alec wanted to do with him once he got him there. The thought had Magnus’ lips curving. Alec treated him like he was some priceless treasure all the time; it fit that he wanted to take Magnus to the place where he kept all his other treasures. “You’re not going to try and keep me there, are you?” Magnus asked teasingly.

Alec huffed out a soft, rumbly laugh. “No.” His tail curled inward, and the tip of it stroked up against Magnus’ leg in a light, gentle caress. “You’re not the kind of treasure meant to be put up on a shelf an admired, Mags. You’re one that needs to be experienced to be truly appreciated.”

Warmth wrapped around Magnus. The love he felt for this man sometimes was so strong it left him breathless. He had to turn his face in and press a kiss against the cool scales in front of him. It was the only part of Alec he could reach to kiss at that moment, and words like those deserved some sort of answer. Even if they stole away Magnus’ ability to give an answer with actual words.

The look Alec gave him said he understood the words that Magnus hadn’t said.

A peaceful quiet fell over the two of them. For Magnus, it was the most people he’d felt in quite a while. Ever since this blasted war had started once more. He didn’t have to stress about any of it here. For this one brief moment in time, neither one of them had to be anywhere or do anything. They weren't stealing a moment together before someone called them away. There was no patrol to get to, no clients, no appointments, no one who would come knocking at the door demanding this or that from them.

It was just the two of them here in this wide-open patch of peace. Nothing around for miles and miles except for them. Magnus couldn't think of a more perfect way to spend his time off.


End file.
